“It doesn’t work that way. I have the boys.”
Cooper’s voice breaks our mini argument. “I’ve got the boys. You need to leave this property before people say we’re holding you hostage.”
I look at my brother, wishing I could punch him in the balls. What is with the damn men in my life? All of them think they know what’s best for me. Pains in my damn ass.
“I’m not up to it.”
“Good,” Wyatt says and claps his hands. “I’ll see you later.”
“I said no.”
“I don’t accept.”
“I’m not going,” I say with my arms crossed.
Wyatt steps forward. “I’ve carried your tiny ass out of that bedroom window once before. I’ll do it again. Be ready or you’re going in whatever you’re wearing.” He taps my nose and saunters off with me scowling.
There’s not a doubt in my mind he’ll do it. And not a freaking person in my house who would stop him. Damn him.
“P RESLEY! WYATT IS HERE!” MAMA calls out.
“So is this a date?” Cayden asks.
“No. Not at all,” I reassure him. There’s no way I want to date anyone, and certainly no one from here. I’ll never go through that again. Besides, Wyatt is like a brother to me. “Wyatt is a friend that I went to school with. He just needs someone to go run some errands with.”
Logan walks over and then clutches his arms around me. “I miss Daddy.”
I cup his face and kiss his nose. “I know, baby. I miss him too.”
As angry as I am . . . I still miss him. Sure, throughout the years we had ups and downs like any other couple, but I loved him. Todd understood me. He wasn’t the burn-the-sheets type of love, but he was a reliable love. There wasn’t a moment I felt like he would abandon me. Until he did.
“I don’t want a new dad.” Cayden stands to the side with a scowl. “You can’t do this.”
“Cayden.” I walk over to him. “No one said you’re getting a new dad. This is a friend. And I don’t need your permission.”
This isn’t easy on them. They’ve endured a boatload of changes, none of which they asked for. At the same time, I feel like we’re all in purgatory. None of us are living. And if I don’t start moving forward, they’ll never follow. Instead of Wyatt carrying me out of my room, I’m going to walk out on my own.
Cayden shakes his head with a pout on his face. “I hate it here!”
“I know you do. But being around Uncle Cooper is pretty fun. He said you boys have been a big help on the ranch.” I bend so I’m eye level with them. “I know how hard it is to live somewhere you don’t want to be. I’ve been where you boys are. It’s a big change from home. But I promise, Bell Buckle is a great place to live.” For the first time since being here, I feel like maybe this isn’t the worst thing that could’ve happened to us. My parents, my brother, Wyatt, and this ranch could save us all.
“We haven’t even left the house! There’s nothing to do here! I hate it!” Cayden is by far the angrier of the two. He wears it on his face. Daddy said to let him have his anger. A boy needs it sometimes. I don’t know what to think. “I want to go back. I can live with Aunt Angie.”
“That’s not happening, buddy. This is how it has to be for now.”
A tear leaks from his eye. I want to make this better for him. I would take all of their pain and carry it, but I can’t. I have to stand strong and hope that by living, they’ll do the same. Right now, all they see is me moping around and angry at the world. I’m going to do better for them. “We need to make the best of it. Is it ideal?” I pause. “No. But we have live here for the foreseeable future. So we have two choices: we make the most of it or we suffer the entire time. You choose.”
“Whatever.” Cayden crosses his arms while shaking his head.
“I love you both very much, and believe me, I want to be back home too.”
“We miss our friends,” Logan says. “Cayden is boring.”
“I promise you’ll make new friends as soon as school starts.” Logan looks away with a dejected look on his face. “Will you try a little bit harder?” His back straightens a little, and he nods. “What about you, Cay?” Logan nudges Cayden, but he doesn’t look at me. “Cayden?” He looks at the wall, refusing to meet my eyes. “Okay, you can be mad. I won’t push you right now, but you are not allowed to be disrespectful to me. I’ll let this go now, but we’re going to have this talk.”
Cayden continues to silently loathe me. I kiss the tops of both their heads and try to keep myself from crying. All of this was so unnecessary. That’s all I can think. The catalyst to our new life could’ve been handled so differently.
I put my dark brown hair in a side braid, put my boots on, and head downstairs. Wyatt sits at the table with my parents. “Damn, I was hoping I was going to have to drag you out.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m so sorry to disappoint you.”
“There’s always next time.”
“Ass.”